PDFBook vs Xodo

Tired of Xodo's creeping paywall?Try a PDF reader that isn't.

PDFBook is a privacy-first PDF reader and library manager for Windows, macOS, and Linux. $89 once for Lifetime: what's in the app at purchase stays in the app. Free for up to 50 books with every feature visible, every feature working, every feature staying free. No "export is now Pro", no surprise auto-renewals, no features taken away.

Try PDFBook freeSee pricing

Why people leave Xodo

Common frustrations with Xodo from public reviews, and how PDFBook solves each.

Basic actions paywalled after years of being free

Google Play reviewers describe export (just sharing a PDF you haven't edited) being moved behind a paid subscription. PDFBook's Free tier never hides features it can't actually run. Every menu item you see on Free works. The only limit is the 50-book library cap.

Free tier limited to a few actions per day

As of June 2026 Xodo's free tier limits you to roughly one action per day on web and about three save/export actions per day on mobile before prompting to upgrade. PDFBook Free lets you keep 50 books in your library and read all of them with the full feature set. The cap is a number, not a behavioural trap.

Long-time users on Trustpilot say it "used to be great"

Xodo enjoyed years of strong reviews, then turned the screws. Reviewers describe long-standing customers being downgraded after Xodo Pro auto-renewed and access to other features (e.g., PDF Studio integration) was removed. PDFBook's Free tier doesn't change behind your back: pricing on the page today is pricing for new users next year too.

Auto-renewal that quietly removes access

One Trustpilot reviewer reports being a five-year Xodo customer who lost access to PDF Studio after Xodo Pro auto-renewed. PDFBook charges the published price on the published renewal date. If your subscription lapses you lose Pro features, but you do not lose previously-purchased capabilities you paid extra for.

Cross-device sync requires the subscription

Xodo's cross-device features live behind Xodo Pro. PDFBook is local-first: your library is on your computer, not in our cloud. If you want cross-device, set up Syncthing or Dropbox on the folder. We don't gate that behind a subscription because it has nothing to do with us.

No real library, just a recent-files list

Xodo is a PDF reader / editor. Library management isn't really part of the design. PDFBook organises your PDFs as a personal library: folders, tags, ratings, reading state (Unread / Reading / Completed), per-book notes, library search by title, author, tag, and path.

Feature comparison

Where Xodo wins, we say so. Honest comparison beats marketing.

FeatureXodoPDFBook
Pricing model
Subscription-led (Web $7.99, PDF Studio $9.99, Doc Suite $14.99 /mo billed yearly); perpetual license only on PDF Studio (~$240), as of June 2026
$89 once (Lifetime) · $6.99/mo Pro · Free up to 50 books
Free tier
~1 action/day (web) or ~3/day (mobile) before upgrade prompt. Export/share gated, watermark on free mobile exports
50-book library, every feature unlocked
Features once free, now paid
Several (per Google Play reviews): export, basic sharing
Pricing of features doesn't change after you start using PDFBook
Auto-renewal behaviour
Reviewers report features being lost when Pro auto-renews
Stripe-hosted. Renewal date visible. Predictable
Library management
Recent files list
Folders, tags, ratings, reading state, notes, search by title/author/tag/path
Reading modes
Single page or continuous
Page-flip (book-like) and vertical scroll
Cross-device sync
Subscription-tethered
Use Syncthing / Dropbox on your folder. We don't gate that
PDF editing
Yes (paywalled tiers)
Not supported: PDFBook focuses on reading + library
Stylus annotation
Yes (mobile / tablet)
Bookmarks + per-book notes only. No inking or PDF markup
OCR
Paywalled
No OCR
Linux support
Windows, macOS, Linux (Xodo PDF Studio)
Native AppImage + .deb
Account required
Only for sync, collaboration, or subscription (free desktop reader works without one)
No account. License key only.
Telemetry
Not publicly documented
None on desktop. Once-a-day license check (14-day offline grace)
Web reader
Xodo web is the original product, but cloud-hosted
Browser-only PDFBook Web Reader, files never leave your machine
Lifetime option
Perpetual license exists (~$240 one-time, 2 devices, 12 mo upgrades, PDF Studio only)
$89 once, three devices forever

What users are actually saying

“Was an awesome app to use for reading. Now the basic actions are locked behind a subscription payment. Like even the export option for just sharing a file (not edited) is locked.”

— Google Play review: Xodo PDF Reader (no permalink. App store reviews lack stable URLs)

“Xodo is a scam and you will lose money. Have been a Xodo customer for 5+ years. With my recent auto-renewal for 'Xodo Pro' my access to PDF Studio was removed.”

— Trustpilot: Xodo

Stop paying rent on your PDF reader.

Try the Free tier today. Upgrade to Lifetime when you're sure. 14-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.

Download PDFBook freeSee Lifetime ($89)

Frequently asked questions

Why are Xodo's basic features now paywalled?+
Xodo (owned by Apryse Software) moved more of the feature surface behind Xodo Pro over time. Reviewers on Google Play and Trustpilot specifically call out export and basic sharing as functions that were free and are now subscription-only. PDFBook commits not to silently move existing free features into paid tiers.
Will PDFBook ever paywall features it currently gives away?+
No. The Free tier (50-book library, all reading + library features) is the public commitment. We add features to Pro and Lifetime, not move features out of Free. If we ever ship a feature in Free we'll keep it in Free.
How do I migrate from Xodo to PDFBook?+
Your PDFs are already on disk in standard PDF format, and Xodo doesn't lock them in. Point PDFBook at the folder you keep them in. It indexes them in place without copying or modifying. Annotations that Xodo saved into the PDF file itself come over automatically. Annotations in Xodo's app-only database don't.
Does PDFBook do editing like Xodo?+
No. Xodo has real PDF editing (text, image, page manipulation) behind its paid tiers. PDFBook focuses on reading + library management and doesn't include editing. If editing is your main use case, keep Adobe Acrobat or Foxit alongside PDFBook.
Is PDFBook on iOS / Android like Xodo?+
Not yet. PDFBook is desktop-first (Win/macOS/Linux) and has a web reader for quick browser-based reading. Xodo's mobile apps are strong. If mobile-first is your need, Xodo's reader is fine, just be deliberate about the subscription terms.
What's actually in PDFBook Free?+
Up to 50 books in your library, both reading modes (page-flip and vertical scroll), folders, tags, ratings, reading state, per-book notes, the image-to-PDF Creator and PDF image Extractor, password-protected PDFs, CJK fonts, and the web reader. No credit card, no account, no time limit.
Does PDFBook auto-renew?+
Pro is a monthly subscription so yes, it auto-renews until cancelled. Lifetime is a one-time payment and never renews. Cancellation of Pro is one click from your /manage page. The renewal date is shown there clearly.
What about cross-device sync?+
PDFBook is local-first by design: your library is on your computer, not in our cloud. If you want cross-device, point Syncthing or Dropbox at your PDFBook library folder. We don't gate this behind a subscription because we're not the ones syncing.
What's PDFBook's refund policy?+
14 days no questions asked on Pro or Lifetime. Email support@pdfbook.app and we process within 5 business days through Stripe.
Where can I see Xodo user reviews?+
Google Play (play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xodo.pdf.reader) and Trustpilot (trustpilot.com/review/xodo.com) are the candid sources: both Pro auto-renewal complaints and the paywall-expansion complaints are publicly documented there.
Use Cases·Tools·Pricing

Xodo is a trademark of Apryse Software Inc.. This comparison page is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Apryse Software Inc.. Claims about Xodo pricing and behaviour are sourced from the vendor's pricing and legal pages and from public community discussions; we've linked sources where applicable.